Gilbert, Frank T. "Historic Sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and
Garfield Counties, Washington Territory; and Umatilla County, Oregon."
Portland, OR: Print & Lithographing House of A. G. Walling, 1882. p. a7.
WILLIAM H. BRUNTON
a farmer living on Dry creek, thirteen miles north-east of Walla Walla, was
born in Schuyler County, Illinois, January 27, 1841. The father of William is a
native of Ohio, where he was born, July 4, 1812, and moved to Harrison County,
Missouri, with his family, when the subject of this sketch was sixteen years of
age. Upon William's arrival at his majority, he left the home roof, and started
life for himself in Iowa, and in 1862, crossed the plains to Washington
Territory, arriving in Walla Walla, on the 6th of October that year. The train
that he crossed the plains with passed down the Umatilla river for Oregon, and
he, in company with a companion, left it, and upon reaching this valley; they
had but twenty-five cents between them, and having been fasting, were ravenously
hungry. They found some old axes, ground them up, and chopped wood for board and
a slight margin in cash, until the outlook became brighter. The next spring, Mr.
Brunton visited the Idaho mines, and between 1863 and 1869, followed teaming
from Walla Walla to the various mountain towns. While teaming, he located, in
1866, the place where he now lives, which has been added to, until it contains,
at present, 320 acres, all enclosed and under cultivation. A view of this place
may be seen by referring to it in this book.
In 1866, September 16, he was married to Sarah A. Lewis, a native of
Jefferson county, Iowa, where she was born April 28, 1852. The names of their
children, and the dates of their birth are as follows: Edwin, August 25, 1867;
Minnie F., July 14, 1869, died June 6, 1874; Wm. T., November 9, 1871, died
September 16, 1873; Charles, December 16, 1873; Ira, May 11, 1876; and Frank L.,
July 21, 1878.
* * * *
Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in February 2007 by Diana Smith.
Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.